In the field of Biomechanics, force platforms are used to study human gait and balance. A force platform is a measuring device that measures ground reaction forces. Typically force platforms are mounted in a pit so that their top surface lies flush with the floor. Subjects are then instructed to walk across or stand on the platforms and the generated ground reaction forces are recorded. For many gait studies multiple force platforms are required to capture ground reaction forces of one or more strides of a person's gait cycle.
A system used to measure ground reaction forces consists of several components. The individual components are typically a force plate, an amplifier or signal conditioner, either connected to or embedded in the force plate or platform, and a computer for data collection. Data collection can be either digital or analog depending on the medium chosen. In addition, both the force plate and the signal conditioner require calibration to accurately convert raw data to usable data.